Eagles great’s heart of gold

Two days out from the prospect of handing over the premiership cup to the AFL’s 2018 champions in front of a worldwide audience at the MCG, Goldfields-born Dean Kemp has never forgotten where he came from.

The two-time West Coast premiership great and 1994 Norm Smith Medallist heads to Melbourne today with the hope, should the Eagles win, of presenting the trophy to coach Adam Simpson and captain Shannon Hurn.

Kemp’s presence at the famed arena on Saturday is just another accolade for the small, fair-headed kid from Kalgoorlie-Boulder who rose from Railways’ under-10s in the Goldfields Football League to AFL Hall of Fame induction.

It is a journey he is grateful for, with one regret — that his late father, Bob, who died in 1985, never got to see him play beyond local juniors.

Along with his father’s support, Kemp attributed his knock-about upbringing in Kalgoorlie for grooming him for the rigours of football at the top level.

“I always just had a real passion for footy,” he said.

“And in Kalgoorlie, sport was such a big part of most kids’ upbringing.

“At a young age, I was lucky enough to hone my skills — especially with two older brothers (Wayne and Garry) bashing me up.

“Dad was always there with me, too.

“It was just a brilliant upbringing — Kalgoorlie was just such a wonderful place for me to grow up.”

Despite being one of the Eagles’ favourite sons, Dean Kemp was raised barracking for East Perth in the WAFL and Geelong in the then-VFL.

Those allegiances were the influence of his dad, who was great mates with the late John Watts, who played for both clubs with distinction.

“John Watts was best man at my dad’s wedding and vice versa,” he said. “He was a great family friend who passed a few years ago now, but it was always East Perth and Geelong for me.

“I loved the Cats (Geelong), and all because of Wattsey.

“At school, I had the names of the East Perth (1978 WAFL premiership) players on the back of my pencil case. Back then, I could reel off the whole team.”

Four years after his father’s death, Kemp was drafted at No.117.

He went on to play 243 games with West Coast, be named an All-Australian and captain the club.

Sadly, his dad was not around to enjoy it. “He would have been bloody over the moon because like every dad, he took me everywhere with him, including the local footy,” Kemp said.

“He did whatever needed to be done and I’ll be thinking of him because going back there (to the MCG) brings back so many great memories.

“It’s a long time ago now (the 1992 and 1994 premierships), but you never forget the success you had. That’s why it’s so important to reflect on where I’m from and the input Dad had on my career.

Kemp has lived in Margaret River since his retirement in 2001 but retains a keen interest in his old club, Railways.

His career with the Eagles spanned 12 seasons and was underpinned by enormous courage and uncanny skills before it was cut short by recurring bouts of concussion.

He was restricted to just eight games in 2001, when he was the Eagles’ joint captain but the circumstances in which he was forced into an early retirement did not detract from an exceptional career.

Virtually from the first day he pulled on an Eagles guernsey, Kemp was a success, and his impressive debut season in 1990 was rewarded with West Coast’s Rookie of the Year award. From then on, the awards came thick and fast.

In 1992, Kemp — apart from playing in a premiership side and earning All-Australian selection — was also the Eagles’ club champion.

He was runner-up for that award on three other occasions (1995, 1997, 2000) and in 2000 was rewarded by claiming the Channel 7 footballer of the year and The West Australian-McInerney Ford player of the year awards.

Kemp’s record includes 25 finals and two appearances for WA.

In 2006, Kemp was among four inductees in the Goldfields Sporting Hall of Fame.